Poilievre made the remarks in Vancouver while Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly was delivering a speech in Toronto about the release of the Liberal government’s upcoming Indo-Pacific strategy. “It is very troubling that the prime minister has known about allegations of foreign interference in Canadian elections since last January and has taken no action,” Poilievre said. “No foreign government should have any influence over our elections or our future. That should be in the hands of Canadians. And so far, that has not happened with the prime minister. He has failed to protect our democracy.” Poilievre told reporters that Trudeau must explain what he knew about Chinese interference in Canadian elections and how he responded to the threat. The Conservative leader invoked a World news That said Canadian intelligence officials notified Trudeau in January that China had interfered in the 2019 federal election. Citing unnamed sources, the Global News story said the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) sent memos to Trudeau and several cabinet ministers alleging that China secretly funded 11 candidates in the 2019 federal election. The briefing notes, which did not identify the candidates, also said China worked to recruit its agents to the offices of members of parliament. Watch: Poilievre says Trudeau ‘failed to protect our democracy’
Poilievre says Trudeau ‘failed to protect our democracy’
Conservative Leader Pierre Poiliev says he is “disturbed” by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s response to allegations that China interfered in past Canadian elections. “We must have a government that stands up for human rights and freedoms and defends Canada’s interests in an increasingly dangerous world,” Poilievre said. He said Conservative MPs on the procedure and the House affairs committee were confident they had the votes needed to get a committee study done. Poilievre said he wants the inquiry to look at “what the prime minister knew, what he is going to do about it and how we are going to protect our democracy from foreign interference”.
“We need to do more,” Jolie said
Speaking Wednesday at an event organized by the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and the Asia Pacific Foundation, Jolie described China as “an increasingly disruptive global power.” Joly was at the event to provide an outline of an upcoming Indo-Pacific strategy for Canada — one that will also guide Canada’s relationship with China. Joly said the fully funded strategy would launch within a month, but did not give a date. When asked about foreign interference in Canadian elections, Joly said the Liberal government “will not let any foreign agent interfere with our democracy, period.” “For the last two elections we had a commission working on these very issues, and we also strengthened our processes, but I think we need to do more,” Jolie said.
Against Chinese aggression
Jolly said that although China’s growing power is reshaping many countries’ approaches to foreign policy, Canada must know when to stand strong and when to work with China. “Canada will never apologize for its national interests and we will not be sorry to seek to uphold the global rules governing international trade, international human rights or the rights of navigation…” he said. “We will challenge China when we have to and work with China when we have to.” Jolly said Canada’s approach to China would include opposing China’s approach to Hong Kong, supporting free speech and freedom of the press in the Special Administrative Region, and opposing any Chinese threats against Taiwan – which China claims it as part of its territory.
The Uighur minority
Joly also addressed the situation in China’s Xinjiang region. Several governments and human rights groups have described China’s treatment of the Uighur minority in the region as a crime against humanity or genocide. Jolly said Canada “will continue to engage at the highest levels on the human rights situation in China’s Xinjiang region, where credible reports of human rights abuses and crimes against humanity are well documented.” Members of Parliament they voted last year to label China’s persecution of the Uyghurs as genocide, but then-Secretary of State Marc Garneau abstained on behalf of the government. A number of recent issues have undermined Canada-China relations. China arrested Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in 2018 before releasing them last year. The Government of Canada earlier this year banned Huaweia Chinese telecom company from working on Canada’s 5G network, citing security concerns.
